Melisende, Queen of Jerusalem
Melisende (also Melisande; * 1105, † September 1, 1161 ) was Queen of Jerusalem from 1131 to 1153.
She was the eldest daughter of King Baldwin II and Morphia of Melitene Armenian princess. At birth, Jerusalem was for six years in the possession of the Crusaders. Melisende was appointed in 1128 by her father to the heir to the throne. 1129 she married - on his arrangement out - Fulk V of Anjou. Before the death of her father in 1131 Melisende was crowned co-ruler. With his death, she was co- regent with Fulk. Melisende and Fulk had two sons, the later kings, Baldwin III. and Amalric I.. Otherwise, however, Melisende was ignored by her husband.
1132 was Melisende of an affair with Fulkos biggest rival, the rebels Hugo Le Puiset, Count of Jaffa, indicted. The Kingdom of Jerusalem was divided then into the supporters Melis end and the Fulkos. Melisende prevailed, perhaps because of their threat to use the Assassins. Your peace conditions include, among other things, their approval as a close advisor to the king. After that, writes William of Tyre, Fulk " never to start anything, even simple things, without their prior knowledge " tried.
In the following years she made a name for himself as a patron of the arts and founder of the Abbey Bethany. You and Fulk gave the Melisende Psalter, in order, the masterpiece of book painting in the kingdom.
She supported her sister Alice in government policy issues. Melisende was in 1137 at the wedding of her sister Hodierna to Raymond II, count of Tripoli. You were accused of a series of lovers. After Fulkos death in 1144 Melisende was regent for her 13 - year-old son, Baldwin, and they were crowned together.
Melisende refused to withdraw from power. She tried to take her son's influence and largely ignored its majority from 1145th Rejection of a second coronation of Baldwin by his mother in 1152 sparked the break from. Before the Haute Cour of the Kingdom itself Baldwin complained that his mother will not let him govern, and called for the division of the empire. The now following agreement provided that Melisende ruled Judea and Samaria, the North Baldwin, but proved not to be sustainable. The nobility withdrew Melisende support that surrendered their territories with the exception of Nablus Baldwin. Surprisingly understood the mother and son after better Melisende was even Baldwin's closest adviser and his deputy during his absence.
Until her death in the convent of Bethany 1161 Melisende kept the religious patronage of the Church in the Kingdom of Jerusalem. She was, like her mother Morphia, at Kloster St. Maria is buried in Valle Jehoshaphat.